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Monday, September 7, 2015

We have those addition STRATEGIES!

We have been working hard on our addition strategies!

I want the kids not only to get the right answer, but to be able to explain how they got it.  In comes ACCOUNTABLE TALK!  This is new for my kiddos and they crack me up with respectfully disagreeing with each other!  If you haven't jumped on the A.T. band wagon, I strong suggest it. I can't believe how much more engaging my classroom is and how much less I talk during the day.

We worked on understanding how each of the strategies worked.  We talked it out as a class, in groups, and with our Turn and Talk Partners.


We started off with Counting Up!  It seems to be the go to strategy for most of the kids.  We covered all the rest by looking at a projectable I created and then the kids copied their thoughts and ideas about the strategy into a book.  They used their Turn and Talk Partners to discuss the strategy before they started writing and that really seemed to help.

Here is a picture of the two of the strategy pages for the kids booklets that they made.


We used the books for our test this past Friday and then I sent them home so that the parents could look at them to better understand all the new ways our little math geniuses are thinking!

The kids did great on their test.  They had to solve the problems and draw or explain their thinking. Here is one of the kiddos answers for 5 + 3 = _____.




All in all,  I was pleased with how well they did.  They are slowly, but surely, understanding the strategies and we will be working on our Accountable Talk some more.  The first few weeks are hard when the kids haven't really been exposed to A.T. before.

In honor of Labor Day, this little packet will be half price for the rest of the evening!
Get it quick for only $1.50!

Time to go cook out with the family!

Have a great week!